Arrow to the Heart: A Dark Cupid Romance

Chapter 30

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My life has taken a weird turn lately. Maybe that's why I just accepted it when I got a text from Dec asking me to check out a weird magic ring that melts your skin when you touch it.

Sure, why not?

Might as well bring your cursed object to the museum so I can check it out, maybe ask some coworkers about it.

Yep. My life is real weird lately.

I walk out to the main hall where Dec and Eli are supposed to meet me. I love the museum. It's the perfect combination of old and new—a fancy old brick building on the outside, but on the inside it's very sleek and modern, with white walls, high vaulted ceilings, and glass cases of taxidermied animals. The main hall is the first thing you see when you enter, and it's by far the most visually impressive, complete with a massive sperm whale skeleton hanging overhead.

Dec and Eli are both standing beneath it with their heads tilted upward.

I run my hands over my dress, smoothing it out before I greet them. I may have picked today's outfit specifically because I wanted to look extra cute for Dec—a blue fit and flair dress over a white chiffon button-up shirt, grey tights, and red Mary Janes. My hair is tied back in a messy bun, with a few loose strands around my face.

I know he's totally—heck, mythologically—unavailable, but I just can't seem to help myself.

I should be focused on that gorgeous guy Santiago from the other night.

Yes, brain, remember Santiago? Handsome, great guy...actually human?

Yeah. My life is so weird.

"I see you've met Big Mac," I say from over Dec's shoulder. They both turn and Dec smiles.

"Big Mac?" he asks, quirking a brow.

I giggle and point up to the whale skeleton.

"The whale. The scientific name for the sperm whale is 'Physeter macrocephalus', but the bio department calls him Mac for short."

"Definitely catchier," he says with a laugh.

"Good to see you, Bree," Eli says, stepping forward and giving me a friendly hug.

When we break apart, Dec pulls me in for a hug too. His hands rub up and down my waist and he tucks his head into the crook of my neck.

"Hey you," he says softly.

This hug feels a lot more than just friendly.

Damn this man and his effect on my hormones-

When we separate, I do my best to give him a casual smile, even though I'd bet my face is beet-red.

"We're going this way," I say, gesturing toward the administrative corridor.

We make small talk as they follow me back to my office.

"You have your own office, huh?" Eli asks. "Must be pretty important."

"Oh, no," I say with a giggle, closing the door behind us. "I technically share this office with our marketing manager, but she works from home when I'm in the office and vice versa."

Which is probably for the best. Michelle and I don't exactly get along. She thinks social media is 'a cesspool' and that a respectable institution would never have hired someone like me in the first place. That and she's convinced I've been stealing her purple paper clips.